Complete Near-Infrared Solution for Animal Feed and Ingredient Analysis

Significance of the topic

Rapid, accurate compositional analysis of animal feed and feed ingredients is essential for consistent nutrition, regulatory compliance, and efficient production. Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, particularly Fourier-transform NIR (FT-NIR), enables multi-constituent measurement without wet chemistry, consumables, or extensive sample preparation. A turnkey FT-NIR solution with robust calibrations reduces laboratory turnaround time, lowers operational costs, and supports in-line or at-line process control — directly impacting product quality, profitability, and supply-chain traceability in the feed industry.

Objectives and overview of the product

This document describes the Thermo Scientific Antaris Feed and Ingredient Analyzer, a complete FT-NIR solution pre-calibrated with INGOT Level 4 models for animal feed and ingredient analysis. The objective is to provide feed producers and ingredient suppliers with a plug-and-play analytical tool that delivers fast, multi-component results for moisture, protein, fat, fiber, ash, starch and other nutritional parameters. The solution is positioned to replace a large portion of traditional wet-chemistry tests by offering rapid, reproducible measurements suitable for quality control, incoming raw-material verification, and process monitoring.

Methodology and approach

The Antaris system relies on Fourier-transform near-infrared spectroscopy (FT-NIR) using diffuse reflectance sampling. Key methodological features include automatic background collection with the sample in place to minimize operator-induced variability, a dynamically aligned interferometer to preserve spectral reproducibility in unstable production environments, and an integrating sphere to maximize collection of diffusely reflected light. Pre-developed INGOT calibrations are constructed from extensive reference wet-chemistry datasets and provide chemometric models that translate spectral signatures into concentration estimates for multiple analytes simultaneously. RESULT and TQ Analyst software provide workflow-based, push-button operation for routine QC tasks.

Used Instrumentation

• Antaris II FT-NIR analyzer (Thermo Scientific) with Fourier-transform detection.
• Integrating sphere sampling module with options for 5 cm or 12 cm sample cup and spinner accessory to improve representativity and repeatability.
• RESULT software for routine operation and Thermo Scientific TQ Analyst software for chemometric model management and data analysis.
• INGOT Level 4 Animal Feed and Ingredient calibration package (pre-built chemometric models developed by Aunir and CRA-W experts).

Main results and discussion

The Antaris + INGOT package delivers robust, high-throughput NIR performance across a wide array of feeds and ingredients. The provided calibrations cover a breadth of sample types — cereals, oilseeds, meals, by-products, dairy powders, animal proteins, and finished feeds for species such as poultry, swine, ruminants, equine and aqua. Key analytical performance indicators reported for available calibration models include the following ranges and calibration correlations (examples):

• Moisture: reported range ≈ 0.8–22.7% with correlation ~0.940
• Fat: 0.01–59.7% with correlation ~0.989
• Protein: 1.7–89.8% with correlation ~0.993
• Crude fiber: 0.1–38.2% with correlation ~0.965
• Ash: 0.2–55.2% with correlation ~0.863
• Starch: 0.01–66.5% with correlation ~0.990
• Total sugar, NDF, ADF and NCGD: wide ranges with correlations typically between ~0.96 and ~0.99

These correlations indicate strong predictive ability for major constituents across diverse sample matrices, noting that correlation values and performance depend on matrix complexity and the quality of the underlying reference chemistry used during calibration development. The INGOT package emphasizes transferability and ongoing calibration updates, supported by over two decades of calibration database development and centralized review of reference chemistry performed to official methods.

Operationally, the system reduces sample turnaround time from hours or days (wet chemistry) to seconds or minutes per sample, improves throughput via automated sample spinning and integrating-sphere collection, and minimizes operator-related variability by automatic background correction. The heavy-duty sealed housing and robust interferometer alignment enhance suitability for production-floor environments where mechanical or thermal instability can compromise other instruments.

Benefits and practical applications

• Incoming raw-material verification: rapid screening for out-of-spec lots before inclusion into production, reducing risk of formulation errors.
• Process control: at-line monitoring of mixing, drying, and pelletizing to enable real-time adjustments and reduce rework and off-spec production.
• Routine QC: replacement of many routine wet-chemistry assays, lowering consumable costs, chemical handling, and trainee-labor requirements.
• Traceability and supplier management: fast comparisons of delivered batches to specifications and historical trends for supplier qualification.
• High throughput and low operational cost: no reagents, minimal sample prep, and automated workflows enable sustained high-volume testing.

Future trends and opportunities

• Wider calibration coverage and continuous learning: ongoing calibration updates and cloud or networked libraries could further expand matrix coverage and improve robustness across geographic regions and seasonal variations.
• Integration with process automation: embedding FT-NIR in-line or at-line with automated sampling and control systems for closed-loop process optimization.
• Advanced chemometrics and AI: application of machine learning and robust model-transfer techniques to improve predictions for minor constituents and highly variable by-products.
• Regulatory acceptance and harmonization: as NIR models mature and are validated against standardized reference methods, broader regulatory acceptance will enable substitution of wet chemistry in more formal settings.
• Decentralized analytics: deployment of turnkey, pre-calibrated instruments across multiple plants or feed mills to allow consistent QA/QC across a production network.

Conclusion

The Thermo Scientific Antaris Feed and Ingredient Analyzer, combined with INGOT Level 4 calibrations and supporting software, offers a practical, pre-validated FT-NIR solution for rapid multi-constituent analysis in feed manufacturing and ingredient supply chains. Its principal advantages are speed, low operating cost (no consumables or reagents), broad calibration coverage, and operational robustness suitable for production environments. These characteristics make it an effective tool for incoming material verification, in-process control, and routine quality assurance while reducing reliance on slower wet-chemistry methods.

Reference

Source document: Thermo Scientific Antaris Feed and Ingredient Analyzer product literature describing the Antaris II FT-NIR analyzer, Integrating Sphere module, RESULT and TQ Analyst software, and the INGOT Level 4 Animal Feed and Ingredient calibration package; product literature copyright Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc., and INGOT trademarks belonging to Aunir (AB Agri Ltd.).